AB0501 COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME: 5-YEAR RESULTS OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME CLINIC
Authors: V. C Romão, M. J. Sousa Bandeira, M. Silvério-António, R. Simão, J. Pinto, A. I. Gonçalves, M. J. Gonçalves, A. L. Martins, P. José, G. Coutinho, L. Morena Bueno Silva, M. Brito Lança, R. Esteves Marques, C. Macieira, N. Khmelinskii, W. Rodrigues, F. Salvado, J. E. Fonseca
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a systemic rheumatic disease that affects several organ systems, most frequently the ocular, oral and musculoskeletal domains. Multidisciplinary care is thus crucial in the optimal management of SS patients. Objectives To report the clinical impact of a Multidisciplinary SS Clinic (MSSC) over a 5-year period. Methods We prospectively included patients assessed in the MSSC from September 2015 to October 2020. All patients had a full clinical evaluation, including disease-related questionnaires, specialized oral/ocular assessment, salivary gland biopsy (SGB) and ultrasound (SGUS), tear and salivary flow and ocular staining scores. We compared the results of patient-reported outcomes, comprehensive clinical assessments and specialized complementary exams in patients with pSS and other diagnoses. Results 445 patients (96% women, mean age 57±14 years) with sicca symptoms underwent complete multidisciplinary evaluation. Patients were most frequently referred from Rheumatology (91%), but also from Stomatology (5%), Ophthalmology (2%), Internal Medicine (1%) and other medical specialties (1%). Most patients were diagnosed with pSS (n=221; 50%), followed by non-Sjögren sicca syndrome (nSSS, n=134; 30%), secondary SS (sSS, n=60; 13%) and undifferentiated connective tissue disease (n=30; 7%). Positive sicca tests were present in 217/385 patients (56%): unstimulated whole salivary flow (UWSF) ≤0.1ml/min in 84/317 (27%); Schirmer’s test ≤5mm/5min in 163/354 (46%); van Bijsterveld score ≥4 in 42/349 (12%); Ocular Staining Score (OSS) ≥5 in 36/343 (11%). Subjective complaints assessed by the EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), the EULAR Sicca Score (ESS), the Profile of Fatigue and Discomfort - Sicca Symptoms Inventory (PROFAD-SSI), the Xerostomia Inventory (XI), and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) did not differ between patients with pSS and other diagnoses. However, objective dryness measures such as UWSF (31vs20%, p=0.028), Schirmer’s test (51vs40%, p=0.040) and OSS (14vs7%, p=0.048) were significantly associated with pSS. A positive SGB (focus score≥1) was seen in 48% of patients with a clinical diagnosis of pSS (p&lt;0.001 vs. other diagnoses), with a mean focus score of 1.1±1.6. Instead, 94% of patients with nSSS had grade 0-1 biopsies. Mean SGUS scores (p=0.006) and the frequency of moderate/severe changes (p&lt;0.001) were higher in pSS patients. Conclusion Multidisciplinary evaluation was crucial in the assessment of patients with similar sicca complaints and in the management of ocular/oral/systemic involvement. Objective measurements and specialized complementary exams greatly contribute to establishing or confirming the diagnosis of pSS. Disclosure of Interests None declared